1. Scrofulous, plethoric persons with very red lips ; subject to skin eruptions especially acne ; hasty in temper and motion ; often untidy and dirty – “ragged philosopher” – spare, stoop-shouldered, slack, shiftless, sensitive, sedentary. Emaciated children with big bellies, intolerant of bathing and covering ; often dirty habits.
2. Mental and physical inertia ; selfish, self-important, obstinate ; chronic grumbler ; melancholy yet often full of daydreams (even illusions) producing a foolish kind of happiness ; lack of concentration ; weak memory especially for names and recent events ; over sensitiveness to bad odours.
3. Burnings everywhere, especially vertex, palms and soles at night ; puts feet out of bed ; > cold.
4. All discharges burning, excoriating and generally offensive.
5. Local congestions especially at climaxis ; flashes of heat, faintness followed by sweating (Sepia, Lachesis) ; often assoc. with sinking, all-gone sensation in the forenoon (Phosphorus, Sepia).
6. Gastro-intestinal disorders ; marked hunger and thirst yet stays thin ; or drinks much, eats little ; much flatulence with borborygmus and emissions of gas ; < milk ; liking for sweet things ; usually constipation with piles ; stools large and painful (makes child afraid to go to stool) ; acute attacks of diarrhoea especially in the morning ; urgent, driving out of bed (Aloe).
7. Skin dirty, diseased ; every injury suppurates ; eruptions of every kind especially pustular ; < warmth, especially of bed at night, washing ; must scratch but leaves burning ; boils in crops ; chronic ailments with history of suppressed eruptions.
8. Catnap sleep ; slightest noise awakens then difficulty in getting to sleep again ; sleepy yet always wakes up unrefreshed.
9. Complaints constantly relapsing ; also arouses defective reaction especially in acute diseases ; facilitates absorption of serous and inflammatory exudations ; when paucity of symptoms often serves to bring out the true drug picture.
10. Modalities ; < heat (except headache) must have air yet may be sensitive to cold ; < warmth of bed ; slightest change of temperature especially skin symptoms ; midday and midnight ; standing still ; bathing.
Notes : Chronic of Aconite.
Most used remedy in dark-skinned races.
Prescribe with caution in phthisical patients.
Sulphur and Lycopodium do not follow one another well ; remember Sulphur, Calcarea carbonica, Lycopodium order.